The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth :: English Literature

The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories How effectively do the authors of â€Å"The Red Room† and â€Å"The Signalman† create a sense of suspense in the story "The Signalman" and "The Red Room" are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories. The Signalman by Charles Dickens was written in 1865, which was the time of developing literacy. This short story was presented in three parts as it was previously in a periodical form; this technique was also used to create suspense and therefore leaves the reader at a cliff hanger after each episode, which in turn motivates the reader to read on. There were many rumors about this story as many people suggested that Dickens wrote this story as a remembrance of the day he was involved in a railway accident which killed ten people. Furthermore, He was writing in the Victorian times, when there was a massive change in technology as new inventions were created, e.g. the Train. In comparison The Red Room was written only thirty years later in 1894 by HG Wells although it feels more timeless. At that time technology had improved intensely, nevertheless Wells still imitated the old fashion gothic literature style writing, which is ironic, due to the time. Both stories have managed to engage its audience by creating suspense and tension. Besides that both stories have been written in first person, this in sequence makes it sinister, in a way because we get to know the narrator’s impressions and feelings. The authors of both stories have selected discomforting places in which to set their story, they are made more eerie because that in the 19th century time many people believed in ghosts and the supernatural. First of all The Signalman is located in a very isolated place, as the narrator describes â€Å"as solitary and dismal a place as I ever saw† This suggest that it is a remote, despondent place which is suitable for the supernatural to exist. Before even meeting the Signalman, the narrator says â€Å"steeped in the glow of an angry sunset† and â€Å"so little sunlight that it had an earthy, deadly smell† the use of pathetic-fallacy and symbolism suggests that it’s getting dark and describes a sense of imminent death. The reader is also told it is â€Å"this great dungeon† the oxymoron used suggests confinement; a place where it’s hard to escape, this therefore makes it more sinister in a way as dungeons are dark and cold and give a sense of fear. The darkness prominently reduces visibility between the narrator and the signalman as said â€Å"'I was near enough to have touched him† and